Return Home John's pers bio
 

On an Android? You'll have to read.

This is a poem about the day
we went steady.

(Please leave me a comment. Scroll to bottom to do so.)

I got my driver's license shortly after my fifteenth birthday. As a teenager, every day of every summer, I went car hop shopping at the Comanche A&W drive inn in Bloomington Minnesota at I494 and Lyndale Avenue. On April 24th of 1965 I met Renee. She was a new car hop and exactly the one for whom I had spent three years shopping. She was 15 years old and I was 18 and about to graduate that June. She would hang around my car when I would come in. She did that until they fired her for hanging around my car. After that, to see her I would hang around outside her house. We started dating in May. She was quite a prude. She stayed firmly planted next to her door in the car. She wouldn't even let me hold her hand let alone kiss. But, armed with some sixth sense, I knew she was going to be my bride so I just remained patiently waiting for her to allow physical contact. On the morning of the first day of the Minnesota State Fair in 1965, August 27th, I took her to the fair. We walked all day, with me periodically trying to hold her hand. Each time she would wiggle her hand out of mine. I never asked her why and she never offered a reason. I just remained patient. At the bottom the Grandstand ramp about 5pm my persistence paid off and she held my hand. As far as I was concerned that sealed the deal and our grand adventure started! We left the fair about 8pm and went to the Comanche A&W. As we sat there in my two door hardtop 1957 Chrysler Saratoga she slid over next to me. I put my right arm around her. On my right hand was my class ring and without saying anything she started to play with it. She slid it off my finger, looked at me with those beautiful brown eyes and I told her to keep it. We have been "going steady" ever since. In 2008 on August 27th to commemorate that day I bought her an emerald ring and presented it to her along with the poem that follows.
 

Going Steady

We spent the day at the fair
We ended up, you know where,
The A&W where we met,
Root beers, two we had to get.
It was upon this very day
You took my ring and said "I may
be pledged to you and you to me."
To count the years now forty-three.
A toast we made with a swig,
It was the start of something big.
Ever since we're "Going Steady"
And I have been your only teddy.
My love for you has grown and grown,
Now my heart you fully own.
My love for you, I will declare,
Is as boundless as the air.
My love for you, I'll tell a mob,
Has made my heart go throb and throb.
My love for you, I yell out loud,
Makes me float like on a cloud.
We ended up to be no fling
That day observed with one more ring.



The photo at the bottom was taken in February 1966 after she
accepted my marriage proposal. I have my class ring on in that photo
as she now had a diamond ring.
Name Date Comment
Shelley 9/15/2013 These are fun, you should write more, not like you have time or anything. Lol

I appreciate any comments. Email me at john@johnochase.com